


(You're My Best Friend) And We're Dancing In This World Alone

by louistumlinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, M/M, mostly its just a general one i guess, this was supposed to be a football au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-07
Updated: 2013-12-07
Packaged: 2018-01-03 21:15:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1073125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louistumlinson/pseuds/louistumlinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If a little noise throws you off your game, we’re going to have to spend a lot more time working on your concentration skills together.”<br/>Louis smirks as if he won something, but Liam doesn’t think spending extra time with Louis really counts as a loss.<br/> </p><p>Liam and Louis are teammates who stay late after practice one night and hang out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(You're My Best Friend) And We're Dancing In This World Alone

**Author's Note:**

> for my lovely friend Anna who I love more than I love Liam and who helped me out a ton ilysm  
> this started as a football au but there's not a lot of actual football playing sorry bout that  
> I don't own any boyband members etc etc

“Tomlinson speeds past the defenders, what a player,” Louis shouts, dribbling the ball down the field, “Payne’s looking quite nervous now, it’s just him and the Tommo, one on one!”

Laughing, Liam calls back, “Quite the ego on that Tomlinson bloke!”

Louis ignores him in favour of faking out an invisible defender who must have caught up with him, before booting the ball swiftly past Liam’s head.

“Oi! That doesn’t count, I was distracted!” Liam’s indignant shout falls upon deaf ears as Louis starts imitating a cheering crowd.

“You’ve got to get better if you want to keep up with the Tommo, dear Liam,” Louis teases, running by Liam and bumping him on the arm.

Liam just laughs while Louis runs around the pitch, arms up in victory, before flopping down onto the grass. The two of them had hung back after practice to put some extra work in and mess around a bit, but it looks like they might be done for the night.

“Time to go home then?” Liam inquires as he wanders over from the goal to inspect his fallen teammate.

“Lie down with me,” Louis suggests. It's not an answer, but Liam is content to lie next to Louis until he comes to a decision.

Lying on the cool grass, he watches the rapid rise and fall of Louis’ chest slow as his breathing evens out. Liam thinks he could probably lie there forever, just watching Louis and watching the sky **.** His eyes begin to droop while he watches Louis push his damp fringe up off his forehead. Maybe they’re going to stay here all night, Liam wouldn’t particularly mind.

“You know,” Louis begins, turning his bright blue eyes towards Liam, breaking him out of his sleepy reverie, “You are one of the worst smelling people I’ve ever known.”

Liam snorts. “I’m serious! Worse than Niall even!” Louis was grinning now, “Really, you’re lucky I’m still lying here, what with you smelling like that.”

“Should I head to the showers then, your highness?” Liam asks, quirking an eyebrow up. 

Hopping to his feet and extending a hand for Liam, Louis pulls him towards the locker rooms in lieu of an answer.

*

When Liam agreed to stay after practice with Louis, he hadn’t considered the shower situation. Not that there _is_ a Situation, it’s just, well, Liam thinks it might be a little awkward with just the two of them. The locker room was usually full of Liam’s other teammates and therefore a lot louder and busier, giving Liam less time to think about Louis being naked in the same room as him.

Louis apparently had no problems with being naked, seeing as he strips off his clothes and flings them across the room nearly as soon as they enter. He thinks Louis probably picked this skill up from Harry, who Liam is either going to punch or thank for Louis’ nakedness right now. And _Jesus_ Liam hopes he hasn’t been staring at Louis this whole time.

Louis either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, because before Liam’s even pulled his jersey off, he’s heading into the showers, calling back a quick, “If you don’t shower soon, you’ll smell like that forever!”

Liam does _not_ stare at Louis’ arse before pulling off his clothes, grabbing his towel and following him into the showers. If there’s one benefit to being nearly alone in the showers, it’s that Liam doesn’t have to fight with anyone for the shower with the best water pressure. He tries to think about the nice pressure or the perfect temperature. Tries to think about anything but Louis, really.

However, ignoring Louis Tomlinson is something easier said than done, especially when he doesn’t want to be ignored. Evidently, the best way for Louis to get Liam’s attention is to smack him sharply with his towel.

Liam spins around scowling, too shocked to be awkward, “What the hell, Louis?”

“Don’t pout Liam, it’s unbecoming.” Louis says with a sharp-toothed grin. He’s bent over laughing, with his hair sticking up in odd places, triumphant smile on his face. It feels just like every other time he’s tormented Liam. Except that he’s naked right now. So, completely different actually.

Louis’ wet towel snaps Liam out of his thoughts once again, prompting Liam to turn off his shower and chase after a cackling Louis, all the while trying to wrap his own towel around his waist. Things with Louis are weird, but no more so than usual.

 

*

Walking out of the stadium, Liam slips an arm around Louis’ waist, “Got any plans for the night?”

Louis peers up at Liam, poking him in the cheek, “I could go for some food right about now, you in?”

Always, Liam thinks. “Always,” Liam says.

“So,” Louis smiles softly, “Chinese? No wait, burgers. It’s a cheeseburger kind of night isn’t it? Yeah.”

Liam shakes his head for the hundredth time that night, wondering why Louis ever bothers pretending Liam has a say in anything once he’s made up his mind.

“I’ll drive,” Liam decides, “But if we’re getting fast food you’re not eating the Oreos I’ve got in my car.” Louis grumbles and jabs Liam in the ribs with his elbow.

“Don’t pout Louis, it’s unbecoming,” Liam mocks.

With a fond smile tugging at his lips, Louis whines, “Come on Li, what’s the point of having snacks in your car if you won’t let me have them?”

“Seriously Lou, we’re in the middle of season now, we can’t just eat a bunch of crap all the time.”

“Liam Payne,” Louis gasps, hand over his heart in mock offense, “Are you calling me fat?”

“Get in the car, Lou.”

Louis laughs and makes a grab for Liam’s nipple before walking around to the passenger’s side door.

 

*

“Liam I can sense you being disapproving. Cut it out,” Louis commands through a mouthful of hamburger.

Liam sighs, “Talking with your mouth full, honestly I can’t take you anywhere. You’re a right embarrassment.”

“You wanna talk embarrassment?” Louis shoots back, “Let’s talk about the goal I scored on you tonight.”

“ _Louis_ ,” he groans, “You were shouting like a maniac and I was distracted! It didn’t count.”

“If a little noise throws you off your game, we’re going to have to spend a lot more time working on your concentration skills together.”

Louis smirks as if he won something, but Liam doesn’t think spending extra time with Louis really counts as a loss.

“Come on now Payno, don’t just smile at your burger, take a bite. It’s not going to kill you,” Louis teases, kicking Liam gently under the table.

“Might not kill me now, but it’ll be a different story at practice tomorrow,” he points out, just to be contrary.

Louis kicks him harder this time and rolls his eyes, “Don’t be dim, you’re all muscle anyways. You need protein and whatnot to fuel all that,” he waves his free hand in Liam’s general direction, presumably at his muscles, “Eat your cheeseburger, Li.”

Liam takes an exaggeratedly large bite out of the burger to mollify Louis, who is now looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Holding back a laugh, he says, “Don’t look so smug, it’s just a burger.”

“Exactly,” Louis explains, his blue eyes twinkling, “Just a burger. Not gonna hurt you. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, there was no need to make such a fuss, was there?” 

He grins at Louis, taking in his soft hair and sharp grin. Liam thinks he would eat twelve cheeseburgers if it would keep Louis smiling at him like that.

 

*

Predictably, as soon as they were in Liam’s car Louis reached right for the Oreos Liam had stashed under his seat. Liam slaps his hand away quickly.

 “What’ve you done that for?” Louis cries incredulously.

“I told you earlier, no Oreos. That’s the rule for tonight,” Liam instructs while pushing Louis’ hand back again.

“Come on Li, don’t you like me enough to give me an Oreo?”

“Absolutely not. I’m not even sure who you are. What are you doing in my car?”

Louis punches him on the arm, “You love me really.”

Liam smiles fondly, unable to help it, “Yeah, I suppose I do.”

Louis abandons his quest for the cookies and grabs Liam’s hand instead, giving it a quick squeeze before asking quietly, “Back to yours?”

“Back to mine,” Liam agrees.

 

*

Partway through their second episode of Game of Thrones, Liam notices Louis has fallen asleep. He’s curled comfortably up against Liam, with his head resting on his shoulder, feathery hair tickling Liam’s neck. Normally, Liam would wake Louis up so he wouldn’t miss any of the action, but he looks especially peaceful tonight. Louis’ delicate sleeping form is a sharp contrast to the version of himself who was wreaking havoc at practice earlier in the evening, quiet snuffles the polar opposite of his usual wild shouts. Liam thinks they’ll just have to rewatch the episode another time because he can’t seem to focus on it with Louis making such soft noises so close to his ear.

Liam turns Game of Thrones off with one hand and idly strokes Louis’ hair with the other, thinking that he could get used to this. Fun, comfortable nights with Louis, Liam reckons life doesn’t get any better than this. He must be staring at Louis oddly because when the other boy cracks open his eyes he’s immediately greeted with a look of sleepy suspicion.

“Stop that,” Louis demands drowsily.

“Stop what?”

“Looking at me like that. Makes me wanna…” Louis trails off, shutting his eyes again.

Liam feels his heart speed up in his chest, turning his head to look more closely at Louis, “Makes you wanna what? Come on Lou, tell me. You’re making me nervous.”

Louis mumbles something unintelligible, burying his face in Liam’s neck.

“Lou,” Liam murmurs, stroking at the back of Louis’ neck. Louis lifts his head up, examining Liam with bright eyes, and kisses him.

Louis’ lips are soft and warm, moving against Liam’s with ease, before he's pulling back to rest his forehead against Liam’s.

“Kiss you. Makes me wanna kiss you when you look at me like that,” Liam could feel Louis’ words on his lips.

Liam leans in this time, kissing him chastely before mumbling, “Maybe I should look at you like that more often.”


End file.
